It certainly had the feel of a pre-season friendly and, in
effect, that is just what it was, as England
began their season with a chance of revenge for what happened a few
weeks ago in Kiev.The European Championship quarter-final
against Italy
now seems years ago, but in fact only 52 days has elapsed since that
disappointing night.

The two teams met
again in Berne,
Switzerland for this
friendly and Roy Hodgson had the chance to put together a very
experimental team.He
certainly gave youth a chance, giving no less than five players their
England
debuts.Jack Butland, so
solid in goal for Team GB's Olympic challenge, was given the chance to
start in goal and in so doing he became the youngest ever
England
goalkeeper.It was an
ideal game for Jack to have his senior bow and he didn't let anyone
down.

With both line-ups unrecognisable from the Euro
2012 tie, it was not surprising that in the early stages of the match
it was cat and mouse as the teams felt each other out.For the first ten minutes it was a typical
England
v Italy
clash with both sides cagey and nervous.Andy Carroll headed over from a Frank Lampard corner and then
on 14 minutes Alessandro Diamanti saw his deflected free-kick
scrambled away by Butland.From the resultant corner Italy
took the lead, slightly against the run of play.Poor defending gave Daniele Di Rossi the chance to glance a
header goalwards.Butland
had no chance as the excellent header flew past him.Another save by Butland was then followed by
England
hitting back as Lampard laid the ball to Adam Johnson, but his shot
was straight at Salvatore Sirigu.

Mattia Destro was lively up front for the
Italians and both Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka had their hands full
with the talented forward.On 27 minutes though, more good work by Johnson saw him combine
with Kyle Walker to force a corner.Lampard's kick dipped as it flew into the area and it was
Jagielka who bravely dived in amongst the flying feet to glance home a
fine headed equaliser.It
was his first goal for his country and no more than
England
deserved.

Lampard was always looking to fire in shots and
one powerful drive just after the half hour mark forced a flappy save
from Sirigu, which he managed to get away with, and as
England
continued to dictate, Lampard again came close.He, and the recalled Michael Carrick, were both showing up well
in the midfield for England,
and new cap Tom Cleverly was also making a very useful contribution
with his workrate and passing skills.At the other end Butland blocked a cross from the left with his
foot and on 40 minutes Ashley Young was fouled, not for the first
time, on the edge of the box, and Lampard came very close with his
free-kick.The final
action saw Ignacio Abate make a good run before firing a
cross-cum-shot across goal with no Italian able to get a touch.For all the possession that both sides enjoyed it was ironic
that both goals had come from dead ball situations.

The second half began with another debutant John
Ruddy of Norwich
replacing Butland and Jermaine Defoe coming on for the disappointing
Carroll.Ruddy was soon
in the action and made a solid save after four minutes of his debut.England
started the second half a little sloppily and Ruddy made a fine save
from Destro.
Italy
should then have scored but Federico Peluso shot wide when clean
through on the left.

England
gradually came back into it though and on the hour more good skills by
Johnson forced a corner and Young then shot over.James Milner and Joleon Lescott came on for Young and Jagielka
and England
improved further.On 66
minutes Cahill volleyed home a fierce shot from a corner, only for the
referee to harshly penalise Lescott for a foul when in fact he was the
one being fouled.More
substitutions came on for Italy and Jake Livermore made his debut
replacing Lampard, whilst later Ryan Bertrand became the fifth new
England player on the night when he replaced the impressive Leighton
Baines.

There was an amazing let-off for Italy on 72
minutes when Milner's teasing cross was first almost put through his
own goal by Peluso, then saved by Sirigu, and then Lescott forced the
ball against a post before the Italians managed to scramble the ball
clear.England then had
another goal ruled out, this time by Defoe, again because Lescott was
penalised for a foul.

Six minutes later Italy's Marco Verrati forced
Ruddy into a fine tip over save, and the goalkeeper had certainly made
his mark in his first appearance.From
the corner Bertrand headed off the line and after the clearance Milner
broke away and fed a fine pass to Defoe.It looked as though the Tottenham man had gone too wide and run
up a blind alley as the Italians tracked back to cover.But Defoe cut back inside and unleashed a superb shot towards
the far post.Sirigu
managed a touch but the force of the shot beat him to give England the
lead, a lead they deserved.On 83 minutes more good work by Bertrand set up Defoe again but
this time his shot was wide.

The game was hotting up now and Abate made a fine
run before seeing his shot scrambled away.England were not about to be denied though and Milner's
brilliant run near the end so nearly set up Defoe again, only stopped
by some desperate defending.Milner had made a lively cameo appearance.

In the end England held on to their lead rather
comfortably, and this ended up a very satisfying result for Roy's
Boys.Lots of positives
to take from the game not least in the enthusiasm shown by the
newcomers and the refreshing attitude of the more established players.Everyone can be pleased with their night's work and it augers
well for the important games coming up in a month's time.